Improved coffin



JWM @a Wer/rdf@ N. PETERS. PHOTO-UTNOGMPHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIGE SILAS MERBIOK, OF NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED COFFIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. S11, [30, dated November 17, 1868.

To all 'whom t 'may concern Be it known that I, SiLAs Mnimrcir, ofthe borough of New Brighton, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedanewandusefiilIniprovementinBurial- Oases 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Fi gurel represents alongitudinal side elevation of the burial-case complete and closed. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same with the top or cover removed and Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection taken in the line x x, Fig. 2.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of burial-cases or cofns, and consists in the use of sheet-metal plates for the bottom, sides, and ends, in combination with a cast-metal top and angle-iron for securing the sheet-metal plates together, forming a strong air-tight metal coffin.

Among the advantages to the public arising from this improvement in burial-cases are, iirst, they are air-tight, doing vaway with the necessity of an early burial after decease; second, they are durable if properly painted with a mineral paint, as they all should be 5 third, they are light and cheap, and within the reach of all classes, fourth, the rubber packing, bein g putin by the manufacturer, is always f ready for the undertaker to close up, as he does an ordinary wood coffin, and lie is sure of its being air-tight when the top is screwed down.

A A is the bottom of the coffin, constructed of a single sheet of metal dressed to the size and form desired for the coffin. Around the edge ofthe plate thus formed is iirinly riveted one :dange of an angle-iron or other metal, B

B, the other angle forming a flange at right angles with the plane of the plate A A, to which are riveted the side and end plates O C, thus forming the box of the cothn.

rllhe side and end plates O C maybe lapped at their intersections at the corners a a and riveted together, or a strip, b b, of vthe same plate or sheet metal may be placed over a butted joint of the side and end plates C C and riveted firmly together, making a firm and air-tight cofn.

Around the entire top edge of the coffin, and on the inside, is iirmly secured a strip of wood, D D, even with the top edge of the metal plates O O, the upper and outer edge of which is rabbeted to receive between the wood D D and the metal plates C O a rubber packing, E, extending slightly above the edges of the metal plates C O and the wood strips D D, so as to form an air-tight packing for the top of the cofiin when the top is screwed down.

The top F is made of cast metal, and rinly screwed down to the strip of wood D, resting and firmly pressing upon the rubber packing E, and forming a perfect air-tight and durable joint.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In the construction of coftins, burial-cases, or caskets, the sheet-metalbottoin A, the angleiron B, the sheet-metal side and end plates O O, the strip of wood D, the rubber packing E, in combination with the cast-metal top F, arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth.

Dated October 10, A. D. 1868.

SILAS MER-RICK.

Witnesses:

R. H. FISHER, Clins. M. Mannion. 

